Lukashenko Recruits More Hostages Than He Releases

• 17.09.2025, 19:51

Since the beginning of the year, 170 political prisoners "came out", 283 - "came in".

Since January 18, Belarus has seen nine waves of pardons of political prisoners - a total of 170 people have been released, reports "Viasna".

It should be noted that fewer political prisoners could have been released, as in July and September, only 31 prisoners were released, and only some of them were convicted on "extremist articles."

During this time, 283 people have received the status of political prisoners. These are people from all over Belarus, of different ages and social status, accused under a number of political articles.

"Only the cessation of daily new arrests and the release of all political prisoners will testify to the transition from the policy of state terror to the restoration of national harmony. The way many of these releases are taking place now indicates the regime's continued practice of de facto deportation on political grounds - crimes against humanity as defined by international criminal law," Viasna human rights activist Pavel Sapelko said in June.